Trade News North (Nov 1977)

eee eee TORONTO ~— On Nov. 7, Hector Ross was named Pioneer of the pioneers honor a westerner: bee ross Year, the highest honor of Canada’s venerable Canadian Picture Pioneers association. Hector Ross is indeed one of the grand pioneers of Canadian exhibition and, in a way, he grew up with the industry. Born in MacNutt, Saskatchewan in 1923, he moved to Winnipeg at the age of 3 because, he says, MacNutt burned down. He worked his way up through the ranks of the distribution system from 1941 to 1947. He started as a film reviser for RKO, was promoted to shipper and then booker, did a stint in the army and, by 1947, had become Branch Manager of Columbia Pictures in Calgary. In the mid-fifties, Ross branched out on his own, becoming actively engaged in many aspects of film distribution and exhibition. He is now director of Landmark Cinemas of Canada, Theatre Agencies Ltd.. and Canfilm Screen Service Ltd. of Calgary. Ross's efforts to aid the development of a Canadian film industry have been tireless. He is past president of the Alberta Branch of the Canadian Picture Pioneers, and vice-president of the Motion Picture Institute of Canada. This year, the 75th anniversary of commercial film exhibition in Canada, it is fitting that Hector Ross, a true westerner and a true pioneer, be honored. ' Don Watts, national president of the Canadian Picture Pioneers explained that the group is a benevolent society which looks after its own. One becomes eligible for membership after having spent 25 years working in the film industry in Canada. Membership is open to all branches of the industry, but _ most members belong to either the distribution or exhibition arm. Individuals interested in becom Dons Watts and Frank Kettner congratulate Hector Ross ing Pioneers make application, and the board of directors approves membership. The Pioneers are active in helping out families who ‘are hard pressed because of ad versity, or in. permitting. opportunities — like ‘university educations — to children of Pioneer families q who, for economic reasons, might not have had such opportunities. The Canadian Picture Pioneers remind us all that the motion picture industry in Canada has a long history and that people have’ been able to have a long. and rewarding career working within it. CANADIAN FILM AWARDS IN CBC SHOW On November 20, the Canadian Film Awards will be presented at the Frontenac Ballroom in the Toronto Hilton Harbour Castle. Thanks to the persistence of the Canadian Film Awards Committee which is made up of members from the film-related guilds and organizations, and above all to the energies of N.A. Taylor, Chairman, and Patricia Thompson, Executive Director, the CFA is now in its 27th year. A Judging Group, made up of representatives of the member organizations, screened the 143 entries during the first week of October, eliminating some and establishing a list of finalists. The Judging Group is made up of representatives of the member organizations. They are the American Federation of Musicians, the Association of Canadian Television and Radio Artists, the Association of Independent and Canadian Owned Motion Picture Distributors, The Canadian Association of Motion Picture Producers, the Canadian Film Editors Guild, the Canadian Film and Television Association, the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association, the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, the Council of Canadian Filmmakers, the Directors Guild of Canada and aaa) = od Morris Klayman (upper left) and (front row), Pat Thompson, Gerald Pratley and N.A. Taylor are the backbone of the CFA. the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Canada. Thirty-three categories have been selected. They include best film in the following areas: feature film, documentary film (over 60 min.), documentary film (under 60 min.) animated film, theatrical short and TV drama film. Then there are a series of craft awards. In order to choose the winners in enough time to get them to Toronto for the ceremonies, the Judging Group also cast a final ballot in each of the categories, according to the director, Pat Thompson. These ballots were sent to Morris Klayman, C.A. for safe-keeping prior to the event. For the first time, the CBC will broadcast an hour show on Sunday evening, Nov. 20, to coincide with the Awards. Much of the material will be pre-taped. Robert Patchell will create the. TV_ presentation and the executive producer is Don Brawn. The fact that this year, the finalists in the feature category (J.A. Martin photographe, One Man, Outrageous and Why Shoot the Teacher) are all well known to the. general public confirms the increasing strength of our industry. It is this strength that the CFA will honor on the Nov 20. a|Reel Un winds — Again TORONTO — On Sunday, November 20, the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association presents the Golden Reel Award to Mr. Lawrence Hertzog, the producer of ‘Why Shoot the Teacher’. -The Award was first given last year in conjunction with the Canadian Film Awards. The inclusion of the Reel in the CFA led to great controversy then, and when the decision was reviewed by the CFA committee this August, it was decided that no organization other than the CFA should make awards at the CFA ceremony. The CMPDA felt that the Reel Award could stand on its own and decided to present it at a Champagne Brunch on the day of the CFA, turning the entire day into a celebration of filming excellence, according to CMPDA sources. The Golden Reel is awarded annually to the producer of the Canadian feature that has achieved the highest level of audience acceptance. The Directors of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association believe that the acclaim that a film can receive. The the most important critical actem that a film can receive. The Canadian public has endorsed ‘Why Shoot the Teacher’ and the Association will honor the producer. The Award will be presented by -Mr. George Heiber, the President of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association. bs Si a el E ™ Larry Hertzog Anthony Bedrich and Harry Gulkin, the producers of ‘Lies My Father Told Me’ were last year’s recipients of the Golden Reel Award. The criteria for this year’s award have been simplified to reflect only the Canadian box office grosses. ‘So far, ‘Why Shoot the Teacher’ has topped the $1,000,000 mark in Canada alone. ‘Why Shoot the Teacher’, directed by Silvio Narizzano and starring Bud Cort and Samantha Eggar, was shot last spring in Alberta. Ambassador Films is handling Canadian distribution but international rights are still free.